Sure — we love jewelry, chocolates and those little teddy bears holding heart-shaped pillows; but what do we love even more on Valentine’s Day? Flowers and food. Since we’re strong, independent ladies, we buy ourselves flowers on a regular basis, and we eat food almost every day. So how do we make this Valentine’s Day special??

What if we combine the two “F” words and make flowers into food?! Below are some tantalizing recipes that incorporate all the brightness and fragrance of flowers into things you can eat and drink. Put the pedal to the metal, or in this case, the petal to the cast iron, and get ready for food with flowers.

Dinner — These savory recipes use flowers as the star of the dish, but don’t overwhelm the palate with an overly floral flavor. You can also use the petals or stem of the main-ingredient flower as a garnish for a pretty presentation.

Dessert — Flowers and dessert make an excellent pair, and you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t love lavender or rose with a little something sweet. Just make sure not to use more than what’s called for, as an overly floral treat can easily overwhelm the palate.

Drinks — There are plenty of liqueurs out there that boast floral flavors (like creme de violette and St. Germain), but we think it’s more fun to use the actual flower in the cocktail. You can prepare a flower simple syrup, muddle the flowers at the bottom of the cocktail or use jarred flowers in syrup made just for cocktails. Bonus: Instead of using a petal or two for garnish, place some buds and flowers in your ice cube trays before freezing for an elegant touch.